Thatcher's Revenge

The right of council tenants to buy the homes they rent at discounted rates is to be abolished in Scotland.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is expected to confirm the government's decision to end the scheme on a visit to a housing association in Glasgow.

Margaret Thatcher's government introduced the scheme in 1980.

The Scottish government has already scrapped it for new tenants and is expected to announce that it will be abolished altogether in 2016.

Since "right to buy" was introduced, 455,000 Scottish properties have been sold under the scheme.

"The 'right to buy' helped to transform home ownership in Scotland.

Since its introduction in 1980, 455,000 tenants have bought their houses under the scheme.

Two thirds of residential properties in Scotland are now owned by their occupiers. But there is a big shortage of homes for rent, particularly social housing.

It is mainly for that reason that the Scottish government has restricting the 'right to buy'.

In 2010, it was scrapped for new tenants and new social housing. From 2016, it will be abolished altogether.

This is in marked contrast to policy in England. In this year's budget, the UK government increased the discount available to tenants in London.

The Chancellor also promised to reduce the qualifying period from five to three years to widen access.

Devolution continues to increase the policy differences between Scotland and other parts of the UK."
That has reduced the number of homes available for cheap rent and increased the waiting lists for properties of this type.

In November last year, a Scottish government consultation revealed that a majority of Scottish councils wanted the right to buy policy scrapped.

The report also showed that many tenants and social landlords wanted it to end.

An opponent of the move is former Scottish Conservative Party leader Annabel Goldie.

She told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme that the policy was "arguably" one of the most "socially liberating" policies to be introduced in Scotland and across the UK.

Ms Goldie added: "I can still remember the days when people lived in monolithic council house schemes - that is what they were called - and they were afflicted by a postcode prejudice.

"They were apprehensive about disclosing their address because they felt it would negate their chance of getting a job or even being accepted for an interview.

"By offering a tenant the right to buy, you did two things - you first of all introduced a freedom to the individual to make a choice about how they wanted to live, and secondly you stopped them being trapped in that environment - because that is exactly what they were."

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Probably shouldn't have thrown those "death" parties ehh

 

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The only good thing that the SNP will ever do

 

Today is Wednesday.

 

So let me get this straight - people that threw parties to celebrate the death of Margaret Thatcher are responsible for the scrapping of the right to buy scheme? Shame they didn't know they had such power really - they could have really done some damage. One would also have thought that in general terms people who hated Margaret Thatcher would be against the scheme in the first place.

Is this what we might call a medro fail per chance?

 

Lets turn this into a 'What You Having For Breakfast' thread.

I'm not having any, as I've a dentist appointment soon and don't want to vomit over his hands.

 

The usual - 2 marlboro lights and a cup of black coffee

 

I've had, so far:

1 bacon sandwich, 1 cup of coffee, 2 cheese twists and a cup of summer fruits tea (still being consumed). I've also had a can of fake red bull energy drink

Also, Medro has cancer.

 

Ah the classic hoors brekkie.Tina are you still having trouble with the tooth?I used to have granola but I chipped a filling last time and it ended up a expensive breakfast,so giving it a miss for a while.

 

A tug followed by peanut butter on toast and a cuppa tea.

 

I don't know why, but I get the impression that Nicola Sturgeon's fanny isn't the most fragrant place in the world.

 

She has impressive eyebrows. Very bushy. Her fanny must be like a matted dog coat.

 

Beans on toast. Cycled into the office along the coast path. Sun was out. It was nice.

 

She's a definite no.

 

Stupid Socialist ****s.

Instead of scrapping right to buy, build more houses and create jobs.

Stupid spazzy ***** ****s

 

I think that they have shot themselves in the foot on this occassion.

 

Stovies for me.

A touch of cumin and coriander finished it off beautifully.

 

2 tangerines.

 

Sounds about right for you.

 

the money from the sales of council housing could have been used for something useful like, I dunno, building more council housing, creating jobs and creating new rented accomodation. Instead it was used for waxing sturgeons bush and polishing salmonds jowls.